Question Is "secretary" a bad word? - Virtual Assistant Forums

#1 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008

My business is called "My Favorite Secretary" and someone suggested to me that the word "secretary" has negative associations and sterotypes and that perhaps I should move toward "assistant" instead.

Any opinions on whether "secretary" is a bad word these days?

Thanks,
Anne
www.myfavoritesecretary.com

#2 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008

I don't think it is bad at all. You provide secretarial support so call it what it is. Just my opinion.

#3 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008

I personally don't like the word.. Makes me think of the movie 9 to 5, typewriters and getting coffee etc. and we do so much more than that.

#4 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008

That's a good question. It's kind of like doctor/physician and lawyer/attorney. I do tend to agree that "secretary" has stereotypes associated with it, especially with the older generation employers etc. I think it's relevant, but it's more of an antiquated word. If it were me, I would move away from that term, but that's just my opinion and not one really based on fact.

#5 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008

I believe its all in the person. I dont think its a bad word,i know a few women who cant stand the word cause they feel as though it doesnt do their job justices. But i think its all in what it means to you.

#6 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008

I don't think secretary is a bad word. I use it all the time myself. If you look for VAs in the yellow pages, guess where you look, that's right, "secretarial services". Secretary still has more name recognition that Virtual Assistant.

Secretaries became Admin Assistants - they still did pretty much the same stuff with some newer duties added because of the computer age - we had more time available to take on more work, but Admin Assistant became as generic as Secretary was.

My joke usually is, "Condaleeza Rice doesn't mind being called Secretary of State".

Seriously though, secretary was cool 20 years ago, now it's admin assistant. I wonder what the title will be in 20 years?

#7 (**permalink**) 10-28-2008

Good question. I don't think it is a bad word and I cannot speak for others, but I have come across situations where it is thought that when people refer to secretaries they think of someone they can hire at a low cost. The use of "secretary" may give the opinion that you can be hired at the same price as a secretary that has little to no experience in the office setting. Since we are professionals, when you give them your hourly/retainer rates they could be thrown off by the cost of hiring at a higher cost. Of course not all people think this way, but it could be something to think about.